


Learning Curve

by Moirae (TigerDragon), TiaNadiezja



Category: Lagashverse, Star Trek
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-08-31
Updated: 2011-09-15
Packaged: 2017-10-23 07:39:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigerDragon/pseuds/Moirae, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiaNadiezja/pseuds/TiaNadiezja
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eight Starfleet cadets board the USS Sovereign en route to the Breen border as the Breen Confederacy prepares for war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Commencement

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost of our ongoing work at http://nightswithoutdreams.com/wordpress/, for those who find AO3 to be more convenient. Naturally, we don't own Star Trek. For any formatting errors, we apologize - the transition between coding is a bit faulty, and our editing doesn't always catch everything.

**_At All Hazards_**

 **A Tale of the _USS Sovereign,_ NCC-73811**

 ** _Part I: Learning Curve_**

 _“I must study politics and war, that my sons may have the liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, natural history and naval architecture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, tapestry, and porcelain.”_ \- John Adams

 **Chapter 1**

 **U.S.S. _Sovereign_ , enroute to the Valoris Nebula  
Stardate: 2387.312**

 _Does anyone look good in these uniforms?_ Cadet Eden Seraphina Enigma tugged at the ill-fitting jacket of her uniform as she stepped from the turbolift, making her way down the long corridor to the _Sovereign_ ’s rec room for the initial briefing to be given to her and her classmates.

She was early, by nearly fifteen minutes.  This would be no surprise to her classmates; Eden Enigma was known for being more punctual than a Tholian.  She smoothed her uniform one more time before stepping through the sliding doors and into the large recreation chamber.

The room was, for the moment, comfortingly empty. It was a big space for a starship - made bigger visually by the holographic inlays that turned the walls into open gateways to other words or places - and comfortably laid out, though most of the space had been cleared for a small presentation podium and a double row of chairs in front of it. _Sovereign_ was a big ship, and still the pride of the fleet after seventeen years of service - her cadet berths had been almost as popular in the request queue as the _Majestic_ or the _Enterprise_.

Eden stood in the doorway for a long moment, gazing at the podium and the Starfleet logo it bore.  The symbol of the _Enterprise_.   _Never forget the goal._

“Going or coming, Cadet?” A warm, rich alto prompted her out of her daydream with the slightest hint of amusement, and when she turned reflexively to look over her shoulder she found herself looking up at a graceful young woman with dark hair and fiercely blue eyes, her features stamped with a fine Gaelic beauty that couldn’t quite hide the hard metal beneath. Her uniform had edges crisp enough to shave with, and the three solid pips of a Commander nestled against her throat - not the sort of decoration a woman her age won with a few well placed words and a charming smile.

“Coming, Commander... Reese.”  It took a moment for Eden to run through the ship’s senior staff in her mind and put the Executive Officer’s name to her face.  “Just taking a moment to admire the view.”  She stepped into the room, moving out of the doorway to allow the senior officer past.   _The personnel record pictures really don’t do her justice, do they?_

“Always worth doing, though usually best done without blocking the door.” The smile quirking the edges of the XO’s mouth could have meant anything at all, but her eyes showed a note of subtle approval to go with the rebuke. “Ten minutes early makes you either ambitious or eager to make a good impression so you can slack later. I’m guessing you’re the first, Miss Enigma.”

“Ambitious, Commander.”  It was a trait that few could miss in her, and Eden had found it most effective to be frank about it.  “But also curious.  I grew up in space, and one of the things I learned was that it’s good to get the feel of a room before something important happens in it.”

“Wise idea - it would have been useful a number of times on my Midshipwoman’s cruise, certainly.” Reese walked across the room to the podium and set her PADD down on it, her stride as long-limbed and precisely metered as a professional track runner. “Speaking of which, we’re running heavy on Mids this cruise, Cadet, which means that ambition is going to be even more likely to rub your fellows raw than it might otherwise be. I trust I can depend on you not to allow that to become a problem?”

 _Earth naval terminology.  Not often that you see it in Starfleet._ “I’ll get my work done, and I won’t make assumptions about what authority I might have, and I won’t rub my goals in the faces of my classmates.  I’ve found that when I try to hold back any more than that, people sense it and it rubs them the wrong way more than simply being who I am does.  I’ve found a balance, and if it needs to be changed in this situation... well, one advantage of having the mother I had is that I’ll know before it’s too late to correct course.”

“‘This above all: to thine own self be true. And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.’” Commander Reese glanced down at her PADD to tap a small icon, flashing the room’s wall panels into a uniform blankness, and looked up again with that same subtle smile. “Carry on, Miss Engima.”

“Yes, sir.”  Eden turned, making her way to the double row of chairs, running her hand carefully over the backs of the front row before finding one that sat at the proper, subtle angle near the center of the row and sitting, hands folded her her lap.

The room began to fill up by twos and threes practically the moment she sat down, and by the time the last Cadet slipped in thirty seconds past the appointed time there were a dozen Cadets arranged in the seats around Eden. Commander Reese looked up from her PADD and clicked her tongue softly, raising her voice just loudly enough to be sure everyone heard her. “A bit more quickly if you please, Mr. Rossum. Some of us have significant things to do today.” The very young man Eden had shared a shuttle ride over with almost crawled into the chair at the far front left, his face a sharp red that seemed likely to leak out of him onto the floor.

 _Too bad.  I seem to recall hearing that Rossum got high scores on the last two rounds of engineering proficiency tests... it’s a shame to find talent like that wasted on someone who can’t be bothered to arrive on time for his first briefing on an assignment.  Maybe this will be a learning moment for him... but probably not._

“Very well. Now that we’re all here, I have a few words for all of you.” Reese tapped her PADD again, and the wall displays blossomed into a vivid field of stars and astrological phenomena dominated, just to her right, by a long, crescent-shaped cloud of blue and purple gases, slowly pulsing with the eclipsed light of the stars within. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is the Lagashi Sector - our patrol area. Our responsibility. Here we have Federation space.” A blue tint flashed across the starfield, and a matching overhead view snapped onto the screen behind her. “Over here, Cardassia. The Ferengi. The Tzenkethi Coalition. The Breen Confederacy.” Color blossomed over each area, as she pointed to it, the last a vivid green. “As you may be aware, we’ve found ourselves in several small armed conflicts with members of the Breen Confederacy in the last year. Our friends and members in the Lagashi Republic tell me that it’s likely to get worse before it gets better, which means that every last one of you is sailing into harm’s way on this cruise. If something happens on that border, we will be running to the sound of the guns and you will be expected to stand your posts. If anyone in this room doesn’t think they can handle that, the door is behind you.” She paused, her fingertips resting on the podium, and when nobody moved she went on in a softer voice. “Let me make myself very clear. We are here to defend the interests and members of the United Federation of Planets with our brains, our sweat and our blood. If we are called on to do so, I will expect every one of you to be ready to take lives or give your own to accomplish that mission. You are the best the Federation has to offer, or the Academy would not have accepted you, but some of you will die on this cruise if war breaks out. Close your eyes, look at yourselves carefully, and be sure and certain that you are ready to do what’s necessary. Anyone who walks out of this room will do so with a clean record, and I’ll personally arrange a replacement posting for you somewhere safe and comfortable. Here, on this ship, we mean to go about the business of keeping the Federation safe.”

 _I know this lecture.  I received it the day I told my father I was planning to apply to the Academy, again when I was accepted, and still again the day I left home.  I’ve gotten variants on it every time I’ve taken my leave at home.  I know it because I barely remember my mother.  We die so others don’t have to._ Still, orders were orders, so Eden’s eyes fell closed with those of the others in the room. _Twenty percent of Academy graduates who take a posting in space don’t make Lieutenant Junior Grade, due to either death or retirement after traumatic experience or injury.  That number would have hit fifty during the Dominion War if not for the accelerated pace of advancement in wartime.  Of the dozen cadets here, including myself, two likely won’t graduate and two more will be dead in the year after graduation.  I won’t be in the first group, but the second... could be anyone._

When her eyes opened again, there were four empty seats among the cadets. To her surprise, Eric Rossum’s wasn’t one of them.   _Maybe the engineer has some backbone to him after all... sad to see Saren go, though.  He has a mind on him._

“Very well. The eight of you will have a little more work, but that just means you’ll have to run a little harder to keep up. I don’t expect that to be beyond any of you.” Reese tapped her PADD again, and the starfields vanished. “My name is Alexandria Reese, and as all of you ought to be aware by now, I’m the _Sovereign_ ’s Executive Officer.  That means that if and when one of you becomes a problem for your training officer, you will be landing in my office. Trust me when I tell you that you won’t enjoy the experience.” A subtle shiver ran through the audience, and Alexandria chuckled softly. “You may refer to me as Commander Reese, ma’am, or - among yourselves - the Right Hand of God. I also play a mean hand of poker, and if you’re very good I may invite one or two of you to the staff game. Now, are there any questions before I give you your berthing assignments and postings?”

Eden sat silently, gazing up at the woman behind the podium.   _Her confidence isn’t an act.  Surprising, in someone as young as she is with the responsibility she has.  It’s reassuring.  I’ll have to remember not to call her ‘sir,’ in spite of standard practice.  I hope nobody ever insists on calling me ma’am... or sir.  What should I go by once I have my officer’s pips?  Too early for that._

“Very well. Mr. Rossum, you’re with Lieutenant Lewis in Engineering. Miss Kyber, you’re in Science with the astrophysics department - that’s Lieutenant Sstheri’s shop. You’ll know her by the scales and the size of her, believe me. Mr. Vier....” Reese took each of the others in turn, then shifted her eyes to Eden and tapped her PADD lightly. “Miss Enigma, you’ll be training with our Flight Control team. However, we also find ourselves with a slight shortfall in our Strategic Operations team, so I’ll be assigning you to Major Xian. She’s on loan to us from the Lagashi Star Navy - I trust that won’t be a problem?”

 _An LSN officer?  She must be a recent transfer; I don’t remember her from the roster._ “I look forward to learning what she can teach me, Commander.”

“Excellent. The eight of you will be taking the two group quarters on Deck 3, just aft of Strategic Operations. I’ll leave it to you to make the assignments among yourselves. If any of you need anything, speak with Lieutenant Hearns first - she’ll be responsible for you while you’re aboard. Dismissed, Cadets.”

Eden rose to her feet with the rest of the cadets, sparing a moment to give one last, probing look to Reese before turning on her heel to join her classmates moving in line toward the door.   _Helm and Strategic Operations.  I wanted a chance to show what I’m capable of; it looks like I’ll be getting that.  Be quiet, learn, do my job well, and I’ll be noticed._

\----------------------------------

   


Eden quickly made her way to the bunks near the large viewports of the officers’ quarters she shared with the other women among the cadets, setting her large Starfleet duffel bag on the bottom bunk and thus laying claim to it.  “First shift is in ten hours... not much time to settle in and get some sleep.”

“Who wants to sleep?” Cadet Anjet Neyres tugged her ceremonial earring, tossing her duffel onto the bunk over Eden’s and vaulting onto it with an easy athleticism. “We made it aboard, and I - for one - plan to celebrate.”

“You’ll wish you’d slept if you don’t.”  Eden pulled her bag open and started to unpack it, laying her belongings on the bed one at a time.  “Do you mind if I claim the drawers under the viewport?  It will be hard to listen to what the officers tell you if you’re falling asleep on your feet.”

“I’m sure I’ll survive somehow. Sure - claim away.” Anjet rolled over and dangled her feet loosely over the edge of the bed, her voice warm with satisfaction. “As long as I get my hands on the controls of this beauty - that’s the important thing.”

“We have brought honor to our families. Celebration is appropriate.” Talis, the Andorian whose Tactical scores were slightly better than Eden’s, pushed past the Eshani to lay her bag on the other lower bunk. “I brought Saurian brandy. Now seems a good time to open it.”

“Tell me it’s synthahol, please.”  Kyber, the Eshani science student with an exceptional talent for calculus, tapped her VISOR to make sure it was properly situated on her pale-skinned face.  “I could certainly use a drink, but not at the expense of getting caught by the senior staff drinking alcohol my first night here.”

“Absolutely not. Who’d drink that to celebrate?” Talis shook her antennae disapprovingly, and Anjet laughed. “I’m in. I’ll even throw in my mother’s drinking glasses.”

“By the Center of Consciousness...”  Kyber shook her head in disbelief.  “You do know it won’t just be the two of you to get in trouble if we’re caught, don’t you?”

Eden smirked, rolling over in her bunk.  “No reason not to partake, then, if you want to, is there?”

Kyber turned her gaze on the half-Betazoid cadet.  “Are you going to drink, then?”

“Absolutely not.  I want to be awake in the morning, not hung over.  But if what you’re worried about is consequences of getting caught, you should go ahead.  There’s no extra risk for that.”

“I knew you could talk sense, Enigma.” Anjet slid down off the top bunk, producing four glasses and setting them on the table she dragged over from the middle of the room. Talis set to work on filling them, and Anjet glanced up at the viewport. “Do any of you mind if I hang my tearcatcher over this? It’s perfect, and we could probably all use the blessings of the Prophets on this cruise.”

“I’ll take what blessings I can get, from whatever powers will give them, and if it comes with Bajoran artwork in my quarters, that’s all the better.”  Eden smiled to Anjet.  “Go ahead.”

“Perfect.” Anjet scrambled back up the bed, grabbed the delicate filigree of metal and glass and leather, and suited action to words. Climbing back down, she paused and looked curiously at the holo on Eden’s bed. “She’s pretty. Who is she?”

Eden smiled, managing not to blush much.  “Her name’s Arcadia... I met her on a leave in Italy.  I don’t expect I’ll see her again, but it was a week worth remembering.  For both of us, I hope.”  She leaned over and placed the holo on her dresser, setting it to slowly rotate.

“It is good to remember sweethearts back home.” Talis picked up her glass and toasted Eden with it, smiling. “My brother carries a carved sagen bone his betrothed gave him before he left for the Academy.”

“How do Andorian weddings work, anyway?”  Kyber sat on the top bunk of the set of beds opposite those occupied by Eden and Anjet.  “I admit, the idea of weddings in general still somewhat baffles me, but a few years on Earth led me to witness a few under human and Vulcan traditions.  Do all four spouses marry at once, or does it happen in stages somehow?”

“All four marry together. You must find a full set of betrothed before the ancestors will bless the union.” Talis made a slight face, then sipped her brandy and gave a sigh of satisfaction. “Personally, I’d rather be thinking about out there.”

“I’ll drink to that.”  Anjet picked up her glass and passed one up to Kyber, offering the other to Eden. “Here’s to ‘out there.’”

“You’re going to keep showing me that glass until I take it, aren’t you?”  Eden lifted the glass.  “‘Out there’.  Just don’t expect me to finish the whole glass off.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take it off your hands, slugabed.” Anjet grinned and took it back as the four of them finished the toast.

 _I might just enjoy my off-duty time during this tour_.  Eden passed the glass to Anjet with a smile.


	2. Orientation and Evaluation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cadets' first duty shifts.

**Chapter 2**

 **U.S.S. _Sovereign_ , Deck 4**  
 **Stardate: 2387.313**

“Miss Enigma, isn’t it?” A strong, tonal soprano surprised Eden as one of the women who’d been jogging down the corridor behind her suddenly slowed sharply and fell in next to her. Her first impression was vivid: tall, broad-shouldered and elegant for an oriental phenotype. Dark, intelligent eyes the color of a green-tinted sea, with delicately visible traceries of black and silver etched into them. Close cropped black hair, and a red-trimmed black uniform that was certainly not Starfleet issue.

“Eden Enigma.”  Eden came to full attention, offering a crisp salute to the Lagashi officer.  “A pleasure to meet you, Major.”

“Likewise. At ease, Cadet. On your way to your shift in the Pit?” Xian Lihwa had the kind of face that gave away little, but Eden thought she caught an edge of approval in her eyes. Other details struck her: Xian stood at a loose, straight-shouldered attention with the ease of long habit. She was in phenomenal physical condition - her wiry strength was clearly visible, especially in the smooth fit of her uniform. She was wearing a sidearm - a pistol of some sort Eden didn’t recognize - at her left hip, something that certainly wasn’t standard Starfleet practice.

 _Is that one of those Lagashi projectile guns?  I’ve never really seen what they look like, or how they work..._ “Yes, Major.  I’m looking forward to my shift.”   _She’s impressive.  You expect that from people who are genetically and cybernetically enhanced... but she’s more impressive than I’d expected._

“Always good to have an eager new denizen. Come on - you may as well get started.” Xian pivoted easily and marched up the corridor at a brisk trot, her eyes fixed forward but her attention still clearly mostly on her new subordinate. “Brief me on the Breen border, Miss Enigma.”

“Three major Federation installations - the main repair facility at Starbase 72 to the galactic south, communications and supply station Redemption to the galactic north, and, in the center, the primary command center for the main front at the Lagashi sector, Roosevelt Station.  Twenty-three Starfleet ships... twenty-four now, with _Sovereign’s_ return.  Five of the Breen administrative districts border Federation space, but nearly half the border is run either directly or through bureaucratic puppets by Thot Thanget, who is described in every single profile ever written of him as brilliant and utterly ruthless, that second even by the standards of his society.  The bulk of allied firepower on the border comes from the member world militaries, with the Lagashi providing well over a third of the manpower on the border and further large shares offered by Andorian, Trill, and Bajoran forces offered to Starfleet.  Six Starfleet ships have been destroyed or damaged to the point of requiring extensive refit in the last year, in addition to one Cardassian patrol vessel and a disputed number of Lagashi Star Navy ships that lies somewhere between ten and nineteen.”  Eden inhaled after the initial torrent of words.  “The bulk of Breen incursions have happened in contested space within the Valoris Nebula, and have been at the command of Thanget and his immediate allies.  Starfleet intelligence believes that four of the thirteen Thots are involved in active aggression against the Federation or its member worlds, while Lagashi intelligence provides a more nuanced view indicating that six Thots support the incursions with either manpower or resources, two argue that it should not be happening and are trying to undermine Thanget, and at least one has died under mysterious circumstances since the war - and, according to Lagashi intelligence, it is a war rather than the Federation’s odd designation of ‘exceptionally aggressive raiding activity’ - began.”

“If you were Thanget, where would you hit and with what force?” The door hissed open as they stepped toward it, and Xian led her down the short chain of steps into the dark, cool room filled with holographic displays and secure consoles. A dozen officers and non-coms were arrayed around the room, and several of them nodded to Xian as she entered. She waved them back to their work, stepping up to the broad console slaved to the main holographic display and activating it with a touch, then gestured Eden to it. “Show me.”

“I don’t pretend to know what Thanget is thinking... he’s a Breen, and they aren’t known for their comprehensibility.  Still, given the overall pattern of his attacks...”  Eden gazed at the display intently. _He’s trying to inflict casualties, and, more importantly, to damage the sense of invulnerability Starfleet protection gives the member worlds.  He’s hitting high-value targets at great losses to his own forces in what looks like an effort to show that nothing is safe... then there’s his raid on the Pentad during the Dominion War.  It fits together._ “If he thought he had a chance of success, he’d hit Starbase 72.  Failing that, though, it’s either the Lagashi colony at New Sparta or the Betazoid colony at Sanctuary...”  Eden touched a red main sequence star and felt the response of Xian to that gesture - a boiling sadness that made the star feel as if it was red not with burnt hydrogen but with the blood of Lagashi soldiers.  “Places the Dominion proved unable to break.”

“Good. Very good, actually - that was more or less what I put in my last report to the Captain.” Xian leaned forward, slowly revolving the map with a turn of her hand, then smiled tightly. “I haven’t written off that he might make a try for Lagash Prime, mind you, but I don’t think he’ll try for that without another three Thots willing to throw their whole muscle into it. That’s a killing blow to at least one of his enemies, and he knows it - he won’t risk a shot that might miss.”

“He’s got a remarkable sense of self-preservation.”  Eden traced with her eyes the line from Deep Space 9 to Helike.  “If he does anything close to what he’s done in the past on the Lagashi homeworld, the entire Second Fleet will be out of Bajor and Betazed in a day on their way to Helike, and there won’t be enough left of the Fifth Administrative District for him to build a frigate when they’re done.  If he does see an opportunity to hit Lagash Prime, he’ll make it a warning shot, not a full-on attack.”

“I like to imagine the look on Thanget’s face when Admiral Ramar was promoted to command the Second. It keeps me warm at night.” Xian’s smile was as terrible as the edge of a scythe. “He won’t waste his bolt of a warning shot. If he’s got that much firepower, I think you’re right - he’ll smash 72, then pivot and try to take Roosevelt Station as well. If he knocks 72 out of commission and puts his people inside Garen Epok, that’s going to just about cripple our forward power projection - throw us back on Enoch, Roma and New Athens. They just don’t have the infrastructure for supporting as much firepower as we have in forward deployment right now, which would make it a perfect moment for Thanget to decided to become the Great Breen Peacemaker and take his winnings home to cement his grip on the western Confederacy.”

 _Do Breen have facial expressions?_ “If Thanget gets three more Thots to his side, we’re about two Task Forces short in terms of what we’ll need on this border.  At that point, the math just adds up badly for the good guys... and, if we want to keep an eye on the wormhole, we’re going to have to take the Cardassians up on their offer of help, which means giving them what they’ll ask for when it’s done in return for that help, which makes things more difficult with Bajor, which makes watching the wormhole more difficult.  I think that’s one of those things we have to pray doesn’t happen.”  Eden tapped the hologram, zooming in on the Valoris Nebula.  “Out of curiosity... is there any word on where that monster of a flagship Thanget has is hiding?”

“Not since she ripped the guts out of the _USS Constitution_ eight months ago. Naval Intelligence thinks he’s saving it for his next big symbolic attack; my read is that the _Liberty_ and the _Diligence_ got a bigger piece of her than we thought, and he had to put her in the slip for repairs. As for the prospect of bringing the Cardassians in.... welcome to Strategic Operations. Here, we don’t pray - we arrange miracles.” Xian chuckled absently and flicked a icon, spilling the symbol of Roosevelt Station into a full graphical representation of the forces in the immediate area. “The Vice Admiral’s been quiet lately. Makes me think he’s working up to something big, though hopefully he’ll remember to tell the rest of us.”

 _Vice Admiral?  Jenner on Roosevelt’s a Captain and Sheridan’s a Rear Admiral... ah!  Jenner’s Lagashi Star Navy commission._ “Were I Captain Jenner, I’d have a fleet ready to move for Tures Epok the moment Thanget advanced into Lagashi or Eshani space.  Tures isn’t as important to Thanget as Roosevelt is to us, but its big communications array has made cutting off their tactical support for deep raids rather troublesome.  Of course, since Captain Jenner has been at this a lot longer than I have, he’s probably got a better idea than that.”

“William Jenner is an artist, Miss Enigma. I’d know one of his battle plans in my sleep, and I assure you that his idea is probably going to shock us both when we see it because it never occurred to us to try it ourselves.” Xian chuckled softly. “He and the Admiral always could run circles around the rest of us without even breathing hard.”

 _Why won’t she use names with ranks?_ “I admit I’m not sure who you’re referring to, Major.”

“Before your time, Eden. I was with the LSN _Constitution_ during the war, and I’ll never quite shake the habit of thinking of the Executor as Admiral Li Ling An Hark.” Allowing herself a wry smile, Xian leaned forward and brushed her fingers along a panel to bring up another data stream on the hologram. “I was a lowly Lieutenant in the 92nd, but I knew real grandmasters when I saw them.”

“I’ll have to read about what the two of them did during the war, then.”  Eden traced more lines between stars on the hologram before musing aloud, “What’s the effective decrease in class 3 sensor range when within the nebula?”

“Fifty, sixty percent. It’s irregular - sometimes you can see for light years, and sometimes you can hardly see the tip of your hull.” Xian’s eyes unfocused slowly, her attention fixed on the hologram. “Keep going.”

“The isotope of duranium the new Breen frigates are armored with makes it difficult to locate with higher-energy scans... we’ve been tracking them in the nebula with their energy signatures.  If you were to power one down, it would be invisible to all but class 3 scans, and difficult to find even on them... they could sit and wait until you were virtually right on top of them.”  Eden focused on a tactical note on the display.  “We’ve lost two supply convoys in the last month in the nebula... they’re marked as having been destroyed by an unknown anomaly.”

Xian smiled tightly, then tapped the console under her fingers lightly. “I’m upping your security rating to Class 7-Sensitive. Grab a terminal and have a look at the after-action reports you find there, then come back with a solution by the end of the week.”

 _Was that news?  Someone had to have seen it before... when I looked at the display from the right angle, it was right there in front of me._ “I’ll do that.  I may need to talk to some of the engineering crew... this might be an engineering problem rather than a strategic one.  Would that be possible?”

“If you need to, read Lieutenant Lewis in on it. She’s our best hands-on tinkerer, and she knows how to keep her mouth shut. As you can imagine, it’s not the sort of thing Command wants getting around.”

“Of course.”   _My problem to solve.  My chance.  And a moment to make a difference in this sector._ “Thank you, Major.”

“Prove me right in relying on you, Miss Enigma. That’s how you thank me.” Xian gestured a dismissal, her head already turning. “Lieutenant Thompson, I’ll take your section’s ongoing reports now.”

Eden took her seat, listening with one ear while lifting a PADD and beginning to read.   _I’ll prove you right, Major Xian, and help the Federation while I do it._


	3. Chapter 3

**U.S.S. _Sovereign_ , Astrophysics, Deck 6**   
**Stardate: 2387.313**

Checking her VISOR, Kyber inhaled deeply, gazing at the door to the astrophysics lab.   _Rish don’t eat humanoids.  Usually.  There’s never been a case of a Rish in Starfleet eating one of her crewmates..._ Once she finished talking herself out of running back to her quarters and hiding under a blanket, she took the last step forward, signalling the door to slide open, and entered the lab.  


“Miss Kyber, right?” A young man in Science blue near the door looked up from his small desk as she entered, smiling. “The Lieutenant asked me to meet you - she’s running a simulation in Pod 1 and it’s taking a little longer than she expected. I’m Petty Officer Keenes - I do most of the back end administrative work, so you’ll probably see a fair amount of me when you want to schedule lab time.  Welcome to the _Sovereign_.”

“Thank you.”  Kyber quickly looked around the room, her VISOR scanning it across the electromagnetic spectrum.  When her eyes passed Pod 1, a large mass of heat within indicated the presence of the head of the astrophysics team, prompting a small tremor of gut-deep fear from the cadet.   _By the Center, she’s big... and those hearts beat fast.  She must eat enough to feed a whole legion of Klingons_...  “Did the Lieutenant leave any instructions for me?”

“Just to wait - she’ll be right out. Can I help you with anything else, ma’am?” Keenes gave her the tolerant, patient smile of an experienced NCO dealing with a first-time spacer.

“I’m okay...”  Kyber walked further into the room.  “Are those the sensor controls?  There’s so many options... even the advanced training vessel at the Academy didn’t have this many different kinds of sensors.”

“Most of those link to our dedicated array.” The Petty Officer stood up and walked over to the wide arc of the control panel, gesturing as he talked. “Those, over there, are tied in to the main sensors - you’ll have to clear that with the bridge if you want to use more than twenty percent of them - and these here are for the specialized arrays: temporal, for instance. It’s set up to run parallel normally so that we can get two or three separate clean takes, but if you want a full focus scan you’ll need the Lieutenant’s sign-off and possibly the CSO’s as well, if it’s going to run more than an hour.”

The Eshani ran her fingers over the panel, careful not to touch the actual controls.  Reaching down, she pulled her left glove off, caressing the panel again, tiny twitches of memories of those who had used it slipping into her mind from the microscopic flakes of skin they had left behind.  “There’s more to learn from these than from anything else I’ve ever been near...”  She slipped her glove back on quickly, turning to Keenes.  “Thank you for the warning about the policies... I spent what time I had reading about the technology and sort of skipped the rules on using it.”

“That’s all right. It’s just that the last time we accidentally tapped the main array during tactical training maneuvers, Commander Reese pretty much peeled the paint off the bulkheads down here. I figured fair warning was a good idea.”

 _I can imagine her doing that... the Commander’s got a lot of presence.  How’d she get up so high so young?_ “Thank you.”  She reached up, setting her VISOR to the visible light spectrum.

“Not a problem. Like I said, just let me know what you need and I’ll squeeze it in. Ah, Lieutenant. I’ll have those logs for you in just a minute.” Keenes glanced over her shoulder, smiling, and then walked back toward his desk - leaving her with the sudden certainty that Lieutenant Sstheri was, in fact, right behind her.

The Eshani turned slowly, putting off the inevitable as long as she could without obviously delaying, finally coming face-to-face with the Rish.  She found herself gazing into the golden eyes of well over half a ton of muscle, tendon, heavy bone, and tooth - tooth that drew her attention to it the way the warning coloration of a particularly venomous arachnoid would - compressed into a frame just under two meters long from snout to tail, its head lowered so that it stood slightly shorter in height than Kyber.  Powerful legs that could probably propel that massive form fast enough to dent duranium stood oddly relaxed, and the Rish officer had one of her short arms extended in what appeared to be her best effort at mimicking the human gesture of shaking hands, but mostly succeeded in displaying just how sharp her foreclaws were. “Miss Kyber. Welcome to astrophysics. I have read your file - you are very competent.”

After a deep swallow that did little to alleviate the primal fear that continued its grapple with reason, Kyber clasped both hands around the Rish’s extended forearm.  “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

The Lieutenant flexed her arm slightly, completing the gesture, and bobbed her head slightly in a way that seemed to indicate good humor. “We will be spending a lot of time in the Valoris Nebula - perhaps you have suggestions for our hunting while we are there?”

 _Hunting?  Aren’t we already hunting the Breen?_ “I admit that, since I first learned about the nebula, I’ve been interested in the event that shifted its position two years ago.  I understand no one’s been able to figure out the exact mechanism of that... if I end up with free research time, I think I’d like to work on that.”

“Most of us will be, in one way or another. Thursday evenings, we meet outside regular shifts to share our findings - when you have something to add, you should attend. However, there are other matters in this area of space of interest. Consider.” The Rish pushed past her to the controls with the care of someone very aware of her size, bringing up a star map of the Pentad. “What do you note about the systems in this area of space and its neighbors, Miss Kyber?”

 _Besides the fact that far too many of them have Breen ships in orbit?_ “A lot of the stars are older than one would expect within a nebula of this type.  Many multiple-star systems with inhabitable worlds.  I would almost expect some of these systems to be nomads... stars that arrived from elsewhere.”

“Very good. That’s one possible explanation, but there are others. There has been no comprehensive astrological survey of the area - we have a great deal of information from the Lagashi, of course, but their scientists are more interested in present-day function and applicable technologies than in the history of their space. I am consulting with one of their astrophysics teams led by a Wen Sun Jia by subspace, and they have been very helpful in outlining what is not known. That is the prey I would like you and I to hunt together, Miss Kyber.”

“I’d be delighted.”   _Chronicling the history of an entire sector... this really is the big leagues, isn’t it?_ “I’ll need to look over what we know already...”

“I will have Keenes update your file station with it. I would like an estimate of how long you will need to do so by the end of the day. Will that be possible?”

“It will.  I’ll work as quickly as I can.”

“Good. You may begin now.” The Lieutenant spread her claws with a slight parting of her jaws that was probably meant to look like a smile. “I must go see the Lieutenant Commander and explain why we will be needing more computer time for the next month, and discover what he wishes us to do for the department.”

 _I really wish she wouldn’t try to smile.  It looks too much like baring her teeth... I need to stop thinking about those teeth._ “Yes, ma’am.”  Kyber found a seat in an out-of-the-way part of the lab to begin her reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**U.S.S. _Sovereign_ , Main Engineering**   
**Stardate: 2387.314**

 _Why are we meeting in the Engine Room, of all places?_ Anjet Neyres was not, by nature, a particularly tidy person. Still, today she’d made certain her uniform was crisp and neat enough to put an Admirals to shame and had made a point to arrive five minute early even if she did suspect the computer of some kind of error for sending her down here.

A sea of yellow collars greeted her, engineers of a dozen species rushing around the large chamber checking various readouts and making minute adjustments to the warp systems.  It was, however, the single woman in red in the room who made her way through the crowd and greeted her as she entered.  “Miss Anjet.”  A tall, lean Vulcan whose dark eyes held a hint more mischief than they should stood relaxed before her.  “I am Lieutenant T’pring, and I will be instructing you today.”

“Lieutenant.” Anjet squared her shoulders and nodded in greeting. “I’m pleased to be here, sir.”

T’pring nodded her approval.  “You are also confused as to why I had you meet me down here.”  She turned toward the warp core, gesturing grandly.  “You wish to fly, and your records place you as one of the best pilots in your Academy class.  Every tap of the controls on the bridge results in a dozen tasks to do in this room.  Tomorrow, I will allow you some time at the helm; today, you learn a bit about the implications of that task.”

 _Well, this is certainly interesting. Though the Prophets do teach us to mind our humility._ Anjet smiled, finding herself more delighted than frustrated. “I’ve never actually done more than be shown around one of these, sir, and nothing like the _Sovereign_. Where should we start?”

“The job of the helmsman is most important when the ship is at impulse... anyone who can perform basic algebra and communicate with the computer can plot a course at warp, but the art of flight is essential to the function at the ship at sublight speeds.  So we will begin with the impulse engine maintenance team.”  T’pring started across the chamber.  “The ship has three sets of impulse engines - the two main sets on the primary hull, and one small set on the secondary.  The engine on the secondary hull is recommended for emergency use only, but that recommendation has been ignored by most crews since the first cruise of this ship.”

“I imagine that it adds a lot of responsiveness in flight, sir, though I can’t imagine that helps the maintenance schedule.”  Anjet fell in next to her superior, her voice warm with memory. “On the other hand, my mother always said that if you don’t have what you need when you need it, maintenance is the least of your worries.”

“I will have to ask you about your mother some day; she sounds like a wise woman.”  T’pring stopped in front of a large control panel.  “Most minor adjustments to the impulse engines happen here.  There is one engineering crew member assigned to be within arm’s reach of this panel at all times, and on this ship that crew member is matched to the officer at the helm.  Ensign Markowski is at the helm right now; that means that Petty Officer O’Leary is on duty here...”  She cast her eyes about the room.  “And is apparently away from station, likely helping the Chief Engineer with some problem or other.”

 _Always within reach, huh? Well, like Professor Vitalle said, procedure is made to be broken._ ”Will I be sharing the crewman of another officer, sir, or will I be working with my own?”

“Your first few times at the helm will be on my shift, so you will be working opposite Chief Lina.  Once you are flying on your own time, we will try to find a suitable match for you.”  T’pring brushed her fingers over the panel.  “We have a great deal of walking to reach our next destination.  When you take the turbolift everywhere, you gain little understanding of the true size of this ship; to fly it, you will need to know that.”

“I saw the _Majestic_ under refit on Earth, sir. She was incredible.” _Six hundred and eighty-five meters. Other than an Excalibur or a Galaxy, the biggest ships in Federation space._

“My first time at the helm, outside training, was on the _Galaxy_.  I will remember that day for the rest of my life.”  T’pring turned to leave the engine room.  “We will be using the Jefferies tubes, and going to the housing for the starboard impulse engine.”

 _She’s crazy. Still, she is the boss._ “All right, sir. You lead, I’ll follow.”

T’pring walked out of the engine room, pulling an access hatch off one of the Jefferies tubes just outside.  “The engines on this ship are immensely powerful, but the mass of the ship is greater.  She has to be coaxed into turns; you can’t jerk her about like one of the smaller cruisers.”  She crawled through the hatch, turning her head to face Anjet.  “Keep up.”

“Yes, sir.” _Well, at least if I have to travel this way, the view is nice._ Anjet crawled in after her, trying not to pay too much attention to the Lieutenant’s ass as they went. “May I ask how the thruster upgrades are working out?”

“I try not to use them unless the situation demands it.  They did not come with a corresponding upgrade to the welds on the starboard nacelle pylon, and hard turns to port strain the ship’s structure there.”  T’pring moved quickly through the tubes, barely pausing to check the small signs that gave directions at the various intersections in the system.

“Wouldn’t a shift to the SIS generators correct that problem?”

“The Spacedock engineers can’t seem to solve one structural problem without creating another, and this one is difficult to take advantage of.  This ship is too large, with too much engine, for its own good... a problem endemic in designs of its generation.  Still, I cannot think of a ship I would rather serve on.”

“May I ask how long you’ve been aboard, ma’am?”

“Four years.  I’ve had offers of promotion and transfer to two Excalibursand one Concorde, but this is where I want to be.”  T’pring ducked a low-hanging EPS conduit.  “I have been told, by my Academy mentor, that refusing promotion is illogical; I cannot find the logic in taking a transfer away from a place where I am content, and where I can do the job I most want to do.”

“Makes sense to me, sir.” Anjet rolled almost flat to get under the conduit, trying not to enjoy the view it gave her too much. “Until the new _Vesta_ comes into commission, I’d say you have the best job in the fleet.”

Was the Vulcan swaying her hips as she crawled?  “I believe so.  I look forward to trying my hand at one of the Vestas, but I am not sure even they will be sufficient to call me away from where I am.”

“I don’t know much about the senior officers. Would you mind if I asked you your opinions of them?”

“The Captain is a brilliant man, with one of the best tactical and scientific minds of his esteemed generation, but he is... I have heard some of the human crew call him a ‘stick in the mud;’ my understanding of that turn of phrase indicates that it is accurate.  Commander Reese has the command acumen of a woman ten years her own senior.”  T’pring turned at an intersection, beginning to climb at tall ladder.  “Or did you want to know more personal things?”

“No, that was what I was asking.” _Interesting question, though._ Anjet rolled up onto her knees and rested there a moment, then started up the ladder. “I mean, I know you have to be the best to get assigned to a ship like Sovereign, but Professor Paris says that if you don’t know your crew, you’re flying blind.”

“Major Xian has as deep an understanding of the Breen as anyone I have ever met, and the Captain tends to defer on larger strategic questions to her judgement and that of her staff.  I also expect that you would like her; if you get a chance you should speak with her.”  T’pring pulled herself across the slender vertical tube and into a horizontal route that met it.  “Be careful there; this is probably the one inherently hazardous place in the ship.”

“No kidding. Someone should string a _k’tan_ wire in here and we could hold walking contests.” Anjet squirmed her way across slowly and carefully.

“Commander Jackson is our Chief Science Officer.  He is... driven, and expects the same passion and brilliance he holds from everyone he meets, even if they are themselves not scientists.  If you wish to learn and do not value your self-image highly, seek him out.”

“I’ll skip the bruising, at least for a little while.” Anjet chuckled, more or less in spite of herself. “Maybe when I get a little more settled.”

“A wise choice.”  The Vulcan took two turns in quick succession, then started up another ladder.  “You will probably spend a few shifts working with Commander Andelena in Engineering.  She chose that specialty because it was a challenge for her, and she is quite good at meeting that challenge.  She also has a habit of hearing the thoughts you least want her to, and making sure you know she knows them without giving them away to anyone else.  I have seen her make the Captain blush.”

“That must take some doing.” Anjet resisted the urge to ask how with an effort. “Fortunately, I’m secret-free.”

“Are you really?  If that is true, you are in an enviable position.”  T’pring paused her climb to wipe a bit of sweat from her brow.  “Commander Bellus is likely the most pleasant Bolian I have ever met.  He does his job in Security well, but you would not guess it from his demeanor.”

“Bellus? Any relation to Professor Brealus, at the academy?” _Please let me be remembering Bolian name construction right...._

“Second cousins, I believe.  Did you have classes under Professor Brealus?”

“Introductory Ground Tactics. The required course. I liked him, and he threw me around the mat like I was a first-year novice.” Best day of second year was getting one shot in on him in hand to hand. “I think there were days I was more blue than he was.”

T’pring turned an amused half-smile on Anjet.  “Bellus and Brealus were both at the Academy when I was studying.  They held a demonstration once.  Watching them was what convinced me to leave the Operations track; I knew I would never keep up with that.”

“He told me I had good hands, and I told him I’d rather fly that bust heads. It’ll be good to say hello to Bellus for him. What else should I know about _Sovereign_ that I don’t?” Anjet returned the smile brightly.

“About three-quarters of what circulates in the ship’s rumor mill is true, but it is almost always the most believable quarter that is false.  The Captain is more forgiving than he seems, or than he would like to be.  Every twenty-three times we fire the forward starboard torpedo launcher, the engineering crew has a party within twenty-four hours... no one outside the engine room has yet been able to determine why, but the entire crew is invited and everyone who can find time attends.”

“I’ll remember that, though I’m just dying to find out the answer to that now.” Anjet chuckled softly. “What are the unofficial rules on fraternization, speaking of parties?”

“Three rules.  First, don’t let it impact your work.  Second, avoid it with anyone within two steps of you on your chain of command.  Third, the second rule is suspended the night of the engineering party.”  T’pring shrugged after dismounting the ladder.  “Much like the parties themselves, the origin of that rule is shrouded in mystery.”

 _Which means that as delightful as that ass is, I’d better keep my hands to myself. Unless one of those parties intervenes, of course._ Anjet’s boots hit the deck just hard enough to make it ring gently. “Noted and saved, sir.”

T’pring pushed an access panel out of the way and crawled out of the Jefferies tubes, rising to her feet in a corridor.  “Here we are.  Just a bit further.”

“A nice, refreshing climb, sir. I think I’m going to add it to my daily workout.”

The Vulcan smirked.  “Do not promise that, or I may make it an order.”  She walked a few meters down the corridor, then turned to go through a door.  On the other side of the door stood one of the ship’s three impulse reactors - a rectangular pillar of red, pulsing light, bathing the three-deck-tall room in the warmth of a summer day.  At each minute adjustment in the ship’s course, a cascade of light from the reactor filled the chamber, sparkling off the insulating spray on the ceiling, floors, and walls.

Anjet stood there a moment, licking her lips, and just basked in the presence of that miniature star. “I’ll never get used to how beautiful they are.”

“Each touch of your fingers on the helm harnesses the power of three tiny stars to propel eight hundred twenty of the most capable, qualified people in the Quadrant, the research capability of an entire planet, and enough weapons to render the surfaces of a dozen planets uninhabitable for millenia at velocities of a measurable fraction of the speed of light.  That is the responsibility, and the privilege, you have joined Starfleet to hold.  You are dismissed, Cadet.  Meet me on the bridge at the beginning of First Shift tomorrow.  The Captain will be there with your orders.”

“Yes, sir. If it’s all right, I think I’d like to sit here a while first.” Anjet settled herself against the wall of the room, still looking at the warm glow of the reactor with intent eyes. “I want to remember this for the rest of my life.”

“Do as you wish; you are free to roam the ship at your leisure, apart from the bridge.”  T’pring smiled softly to the Bajoran, an understanding glimmer in her eyes, and turned and walked out of the room.


	5. The Exercise of Vital Powers

**_At All Hazards_ **

**Chapter 3**

 **U.S.S. _Sovereign_ , Main Bridge**  
 **Stardate: 2387.316**  

Third shift was not, traditionally, the one commanded by the ship’s first officer. Most XO’s preferred to run either the first or second shift, depending on the habits of the Captain - some of whom insisted on standing watches themselves, and some of whom preferred to step back and allow their senior staff the more hands-on aspects of command. In _Sovereign_ 's case, however, the Captain commanded the alpha shift himself and Commander Reese chose to leave the second shift in the hands of Chief Science Officer Jackson. Whether that was because of Lieutenant Commander Jackson’s famously dyspeptic disposition or because she really enjoyed working at night was something of an open question, but nobody so far had been quite brave enough to ask her.

The OPS console was open at the moment, since Chief Petty Officer Braeel was occupied with maintenance on the main science station, which left Cadet Eden Enigma alone at the front of the bridge. A glance to her right would have given her a look at Ensign Patel at Tactical, one to her left would have given her a look at the three-person team from Science and Ops who were detailed to long-range mapping of the area and had only been able to schedule their time on the bridge during the night shift for since she came aboard. The temptation to do either was fairly slight, however, given the vista of flashing stars filling the main viewscreen as the _Sovereign_ cut her way across the frontier toward the Valoris Nebula at Warp Factor 8.

 _It is good to be back in space._ Eden checked the helm instruments once more before returning her eyes to the streaming stars on the viewscreen.   _And with the number of flight hours I’m logging, I should be able to take my pick of initial assignments._ “Commander, instruments say that we are exactly four days from Garen Epok... now.”

“Noted, Miss Enigma.” Alexandria glanced up from the console display she had extended from the Captain’s chair, reaching out with her left hand to pick up her coffee and take a sip. “Have we settled that flutter out of the starboard nacelle yet?”

“I could swear I still feel it, but Commander Vis reported it repaired.  I think I just got used to it.”  Eden turned her head toward the woman in the command chair.  “Warp field is showing 99% stability.  Before the repairs it was closer to 86.”

“Still not perfect. I’ll have a word with the Commander later - if we need to run on those engines, I want them 105% or better.” Reese tapped her fingertips against the side of her mug, considering, then smiled. “Miss Engima, do you feel up to opening her up for a run?”

Eden smiled widely at the suggestion.  “Yes, ma’am.”   _Might as well ask me if I’d like raktajino with my morning pastry._

“Start a course that will give us the most efficient use of the warp lanes at 9.9. Bridge to Engineering; Lieutenant V’ket, your people still awake down there?” Alexandria leaned back in her chair and smiled slowly as she began mapping a rough course on her second console.

“We are, Commander.” The crisp, metallic sibiliance of senior engineer on third shift filtered over the XO’s comm loudly enough to be clearly audible in the quiet of the bridge. “What do you require?”

“Full speed ahead, V’ket, and don’t let off the gas until I tell you. Make the warp core ready in all respects for a speed run of no less than Warp 9.9.”

“Understood, Commander. We will be ready.”

Eden began the warp calculations, feeding data into the computer and tracing mental lines on the star charts.  “It looks like we’ll be using the Hydra lane, Commander.  Six minutes at 9.9 from our location to the lane.”

Commander Reese settled back in her chair and sipped her coffee with a calm that soothed only some of the nervous looks her bridge crew were wearing while bracing themselves into their chairs. A speed run into a warp lane with an Academy Mid at the helm wasn’t going to hurt _Sovereign_ , but that didn’t mean they couldn’t get shaken around if the young lady at the front console got her figures wrong. “Very well, Miss Enigma, you have the count. Chart your course and make it so.”

Eden inhaled deeply, plotting the last leg of the course before speaking.  “Warp 9.9 in five... four... three... two... one...”  She tapped the console.  “Mark.”  The ship accelerated smoothly to full speed, and Eden’s eyes tracked the data on the helm carefully.  “Five minutes thirty seconds to warp lane.”   _Five and a half minutes before I know for a fact my math was right.  Five and a half minutes until I either get to have a silent celebration or a very public lecture._

“Tell me, Miss Engima, do you know anything about Vulcan literature?” Alexandria’s voice was calm and steady, without a hint of tension - they might as well have been sitting at a fine restaurant.

“A bit.  My father is a fan of Surac, and of T’rel.  He used to read me T’rel’s treatises as bedtime stories.” _Which, come to think of it, likely means I had a stranger childhood than I’ve thought about._

“‘Logic dictates that the highest good must come from the highest goals, driven by the most disciplined mind and the most passionate heart, until all the chains of our common frailty are cut away and the soul can soar free among the stars.’ My father gave me T’rel’s complete works for my sixteenth birthday, and I devoured them. Do you have any favorites among those treatise?”

“‘The enlightened avoid mirrors, for the sight of one’s face hides one’s mind.’  It always stuck out to me.” _Three minutes sixteen seconds._ “I think in part because it seems inserted into the passage where it is at random, like a thought that crossed T’rel’s mind in the midst of her writing.”

“She was very spontaneous, for a Vulcan. Her love poetry, particularly, is like something from twentieth century Earth literature filtered through Sappho.”

 _One minute eighteen seconds._ “I admit that I have never read her love poetry.  If it is as you describe it, I can see why my father never got me any of the collections.”

“I’ll lend you my copy, if you like. I’m sure you’ll find it as rewarding as I have.” Reese finished her coffee, set it aside, then leaned forward and smiled at the on-rushing stars - a hungry curve of her lips that was almost sensual. “Seven seconds, Miss Enigma. Count us in.”

“Six.  Five.  Four.”   _I’d almost lost track of time._ “Three.  Two.  One.”  The ship gave one gentle shake.  “We are in the lane.”   _I could have done that better._

“Excellent. Hold course and speed, twenty minutes from this mark. Mark.” A twenty minute speed run in a warp lane was enough give a veteran helmsman shivers - the amplification feedback between the gravitic path of the lane and the ship’s warp field was as inconstant as it was powerful, and at over twelve thousand times the speed of light the margin for error was narrow enough to shave with.

“Aye, Commander.”  Eden turned her focus on the instruments, watching the gravitic distortions carefully, coaxing the computer through the lane.  “I would like to borrow that, ma’am.”

“My pleasure. How is your project for the Major coming along? In general terms, of course.” Alexandria leaned back and brought up her display again, studying it with casual intensity.

“Well.  I think I’m close to a solution.” _I shouldn’t really be talking while doing this, but when the woman in command of the ship asks you a question..._ Eden quickly tapped a new series of commands to guide the ship between two gravitic eddies, keeping it within the lane by a margin of only a few meters.

“Excellent. Forward me a copy - I’d like to have a look at it. The end of your next shift, perhaps?” Alexandria studied the back of Eden’s shoulders over the edge of her display, her attention focused as much on the girl in front of her as on the display with which she was monitoring her work.

Eden rolled her shoulders once she made the next course correction, forcing the muscles in them to stay loose by a combination of Betazoid physiology and pure force of will.  She wiped her brow once again.   _Never plan more than a minute ahead in a warp lane.  Conditions change that fast._ “I’ll send you what I have so far once I’m off shift.”

“Excellent.” _Five minutes in, and she’s starting to feel it. Good._ “The Captain and I would also like to see your notes on Lagashi intelligence latest reports from the border - particularly the area north of Valoris. Remind Major Xian to read you in on it when you speak to her.”

“Aye, Commander.” _This is a test too.  She wants to see me sweat... well, I’m sweating.  But whatever she puts in front of me, I’m going to beat it._ “Six minutes into the lane.”

“Very good. Which Surac did you enjoy?” There was something not entirely just about the fact that Alexandria Reese could sound so perfectly calm when the safety of her ship was riding on the shoulders of one Midshipwoman whose limits she was carefully and deliberately testing. “I’m personally quite fond of his _Philosophies of Rule_ , but I don’t think it’s to everyone’s taste.”

“I admit that’s probably the work of his I enjoyed the least, Commander.”   _Three more eddies..._ “I think my favorite was _On Logic._ Though, honestly, his genius comes through in everything I have ever read that came from his pen.”   _Done.  Eight minutes._

“He was brilliant, no question. He had a certain clarity of thought that’s rare, even among Vulcan philosophers. Rather to my surprise, though, someone else came to almost exactly the same conclusions about the free exercise of the individual among the many - Major Xian gave me a copy of Hark Liwen’s _The Single Voice,_ and it was as if I were sitting in the Academy reading Surac all over again. Remarkable.”

“I admit I’ve not had the chance to read much Lagashi literature, though I do plan to start.  Some of the Academy professors... frown... on it, though.”   _Since every paragraph I’ve read has seemed like a love song to capitalism, I can’t imagine why a school so thoroughly reliant on the United Earth wouldn’t approve._

“I imagine so. A bit like bringing heretical texts to the Vatican, I imagine.” Alexandria’s lips quirked with a private smile. “It’s quite interesting, and I’ve been working through some of their most famous authors when I have the time. I’m sure the Major would be happy to give you a reading list if you asked for it.”

“I’ll have to do that.” _Ten minutes.  Halfway there..._ Eden inhaled deeply as an eddy manifested itself less than eight seconds ahead of the ship, and more by feel than by thought safely guided the ship past it.   _In a Galaxy I’d not have made that... thank Kyber’s Center of Consciousness and Anjet’s Prophets for advanced computing!_

“Let me know if you need to back off the throttle.” Alexandria said the words gently, almost casually, then continued. “If we were jumped by a Breen cruiser from this position, where would you break?”

“If it didn’t involve a collision, straight ahead.  The Breen don’t make a ship that can match this speed long.” _I can do this.  It’s less a question of ability than of nerve, and my nerve’s frayed but this won’t break it._ “Though I’d probably want to leave a few quantum torpedoes behind to remind them how bad an idea challenging the Sovereign in the first place was.”

“A good move. You don’t want to try to decouple from a lane in the middle of a firefight - I had to do it once in an Excelsior, and we were patching damage to the drive systems for a month afterward. Of course, if a cruiser were actually this far into our space, we could swarm them with light ships from 72 before they got back to Breen space. Still, it’s good to be ready for anything.” Reese extended her hand and took a fresh coffee from a Science Ensign who was looking greener than usual, offering the young man a reassuring smile. “If you did have to break to avoid a collision, what’s the call?”

“My father told me a story about a ship caught in a similar situation.”   _Two eddies, thirty seconds._ “The _Missouri_ under Srovik Jones, during the Dominion War... two Jem’hadar attack ships happened on it in a warp lane.”   _There._ “Captain Jones’s helmsman transferred as much power as he could to structural integrity then used a tetryon pulse from the deflector to disrupt the lane around them, allowing the ship to maneuver out of the collision course in relative safety.  The deflector took a pounding, but it was better...” _Three more.  Done._ “Better than any other alternative available.  Without time to safely course correct, that would probably be my method.  Without time for that... well, you pull out of the lane and hope for the best.  Unless it’s Romulans.”

“Enlighten me as to the reason why Romulans would be different, Miss Enigma.” _Sixteen minutes. Not bad._

“Romulan helmsmen are trained to break at the slightest hint of a possible collision, and their ships’ warp fields allow them to do so with little risk.  If it’s Romulans, let them do the dodging - if you try, you’re as likely to send yourself hurtling right into them as they break away as to avoid them.”

“Add that to our standardized computer routines when you have a free moment. That’s information that isn’t in the standard profile.” Alexandria’s voice had a note of genuine pleasure in it. _Very impressive, Miss Enigma._

“Admiral Teris visited Mannheim once, and seemed to enjoy spending the evening regaling my father and I with stories of the engineering feats the Romulans had accomplished.  My father confirmed the story about the warp lanes.”  Eden entered in another command.   _Seventeen minutes.  Almost there.  I’m going to need a shower after this shift, and I’m spending some of my replicator rations and getting real water._

“Your father is a very interesting man. Knew all sorts of people, from the sound of things.” Reese chuckled softly, glancing over her shoulder and smiling as the lift doors deposited the Captain and Cadet Anjet on the bridge. She gestured to each of them, signaling Anjet to silence and clearing the center chair for the Captain. “Remind me to ask you more about him later.”

“I’m sure there are others in Starfleet who can tell you better stories about him... I missed most of his career on account of not having been born yet.” _One more... there._ “Three.  Two.  One.  Twenty minutes, Commander.  Reducing speed to Warp 8.”

“Very good, Miss Enigma - twenty minutes it is. Maintain course in the lane and lock the computer into automatic so that Midshipwoman Anjet can relieve you, then consider yourself at liberty until this evening at 20:00.” Alexandria settled into her chair beside the Captain’s and smiled warmly. “I believe our helmswomen are breaking in rather well, Captain.”

Eden followed the Commander’s orders, then rose to her feet.  “Captain.” Anjet squeezed her should as she slipped by, offering her a little smile, then settled into the con.

Surval of Vulcan, Captain of the Sovereign, stepped across the bridge quickly, focusing on Reese.  “You are relieved, Commander.”  He sat in the center chair, his large frame filling it completely, and pushed some of his long, salt-and-pepper hair behind his ear and out of his eyes.  “Anjet, ETA to Garen Epok.”

“I stand relieved, Captain.” Alexandria tapped the console of her chair lightly, locking it, then stood and offered her CO a final nod before cutting across toward the read turbolift, Enigma close on her heels.

Anjet swept her instruments with a glance, a little thrill running up her spine as she settled her fingers against the controls. “Estimated time of arrival is now ninety-four hours and seven minutes, Captain, assuming we maintain Warp 8 for the duration.” _Damn, look at that power curve. The Commander really let us off the chain for a while, and Eden took her right down the lane with it._ “System efficiency is at 98%.”

“Contact Engineering.  Let them know that they have one hour to bring efficiency back to 100%, and can have what resources are needed to accomplish that.”  Surval tapped his armrest console, calling up the shift-end status reports.  “Astrometrics is requesting a scan of the giant star one hour ahead and at starboard.  How much would it delay us to enter Class 2 sensor range of the star?”

Anjet’s fingers danced across her console a moment, charting courses. “Least time would be a thirty-minute diversion, sir, which I can make up if you’ll authorize Warp 9.5 for an hour today.”

“Action authorized.”  The Captain rose to his feet to stand behind Anjet for a moment, looking over her shoulder.  “Twenty minutes at 9.9.  It appears Cadet Enigma is as capable as her test scores indicate.  Perhaps we should devise a similar test for you.”

“Yes, sir.” _If Enigma can do it, then I damn well can._ “You tell me when you’d like to let her run, sir, and we’ll have smooth sailing all the way to Hydra.”

“Warp 9.8 until we are ready to break from the lane to scan the star, then slow and break away.  Do a flyby of the star, and re-enter the lane.  What is the total time estimate of that maneuver?”

Anjet worked her console for a fraction of a second, checking the system. “Twenty-five minutes, sir, accounting for the weave through the outer-system gas giants. If Science doesn’t need to scan those, as well, I can pop-up over the system disc and do it in twenty minutes and thirty-eight seconds.” _Which is a little like trying to land the dom-jot ball right in the slot you want, but if this were easy they wouldn’t need me to do it - we’d just fly by computer._

“If we have a chance to scan the planets, it is logical that we take it.  Initiate maneuver at your convenience, Cadet.”

“Aye, sir.” Anjet ran the numbers through the computer twice, took a breath, then settled back in her seat and stroked the controls. _Let’s fly, girl._

The sleek gray-white curve of the _Sovereign'_ s hull tilted forward slightly as she accelerated into the gravity slump of the lane, stars flashing past her at impossible velocities, and Anjet Neryes fought the urge to laugh aloud for joy as she danced her ship through the grav eddies of the lane with the natural grace of a ballet dancer or a professional fencer. The deck barely hummed as the great ship shifted and danced, each motion leading the manuver required by a light-hour or more. _Nice and easy, sweetheart. Just like we practiced at impulse._

“You know... Commander Reese was asking Miss Enigma about Lagashi literature.  I wonder if Miss Anjet’s read any?”  Ensign Patel, still awaiting his relief, smirked as he turned his eyes on Anjet and the Captain.

 _I’m going to kill him. Later. After I finish flying this course. Some way that’s quiet and untraceable... de-replication in his quarters? Fed into a food processor? An accident with the pattern buffer next time he transports?_ Anjet fixed a smile on her lips and stroked her panel. _At least you still love me, sweetheart._


	6. Chapter 6

The door to the female cadets’ quarters hissed open, and Eden walked in, her eyes focused on something far away and likely imaginary.  She strode across the room, her posture resolute, until she reached her bunk - which she fell into face-first with a long sigh.  “Ow.”

“You, Miss Enigma, look like the Pah-wraiths have been having their way with you.” Anjet, flat in the bunk above her, rolled over enough to look down at Eden with a wan smile. “I figured you’d be back here by 14:30.”

“Lieutenant Commander Vis invited me to dinner to discuss some work I’ve been doing in Strategic Operations.  It took two hours, and her replicator wouldn’t produce a proper cup of raktijino the entire time.  How was your bridge shift?”

“Wonderful. We broke past the Hydra system while I still had the helm, and I trimmed our curve down to a single AU past the system edge. Pure beauty.” Anjet groaned feelingly. “My half-shift in engineering, on the other hand, was like being crammed into a too-small can and then shaken good and hard.”

“Every time I have a good idea, the Lieutenant smiles.”  Kyber rolled on her side to address Anjet and Eden.  “I’ve never been more motivated to keep my mouth shut in my life.”

“She can’t be that bad, can she?” Anjet gave her a curious smile. “I mean, she doesn’t sound like a bad boss - lets you work on what you want to work on, and I know your hours aren't as bad as Eden’s.”

“She’s pleasant and friendly, and every time she smiles... it’s like looking into the mouth of a _rak’ret_.”  At Eden and Anjet’s blank looks, Kyber expanded.  “Reptiloid predator.  Capable of changing colors for camouflage, about two and a half meters long, enough teeth to make one of Earth’s sharks think twice.  Lieutenant Sstheri’s just similar enough to them to set off a few tens of thousands of years of evolved fear.”

Anjet winced sympathetically. “That’s got to be rough. Have you tried talking to her about it?”

“What would I say?  It’s something I have to get over if I’m going to serve in Starfleet... the humans who work in Engineering seem to handle shifts with Lieutenant V’Ket well enough.  There are going to be things that set off our genetic phobias; we have to deal with them, don’t we?”

“I hope I don’t have to deal with V’Ket any time soon.”  Eden shuddered, rolling onto her back.  “I’m sure you’re right, but on top of everything else that’s being piled on me right now... learning to get over phobias can wait until I’m working one shift a day.”

“You’d think someone would notice you’re pulling doubles half the week lately.” Anjet slid down over the edge of the bunk and prodded Eden’s shoulder gently. “Roll over, I’ll rub your shoulders.”

Eden smiled to Anjet, rolling back onto her stomach.  “They’ve noticed.  They’re doing it on purpose.  They seem to think I think I’m invincible.”

“Your own fault for advertising that you are.” Anjets fingers dug into the dug in the knots in Eden’s shoulders, pressing sore muscle apart and loosening it with a maximum of skill and a minimum of delicacy. “Remember when they asked for volunteers to check the torpedo targeting system on Wednesday? I seem to recall you being right there in line.”

“I know I have limits.  I don’t know where they are... wow, that feels good.”  Eden rolled her shoulders, her eyes closing as she released a quiet moan.  “I’m as curious to find out as they are.”

“I think that just about confirms it.” Anet pressed her fingers tightly into the pressure points of Eden’s back. “What do you think, Miss Kyber - should we put Enigma here on medical referral for masochism?”

“Or send her to the counselor, on account of the fact that she’s obviously out of her mind.  Are you saying you enjoy this, Enigma?”

Eden sighed quietly in pleasure as Anjet’s fingers worked their magic.  “Not at all.  But this is something I need to know... I need to know where the line is, and I need to find out before there’s lives on the line.”

“Nuts. Absolutely nuts.” Anjet chuckled with a certain wry fondness. “When they find you passed out over the conn, you know it’s me that’s going to have to clean up the mess.”

“I’m glad.  Means I know there’s someone I can trust to do it right.”  Eden let her eyes close.  “You’re good at this... clever fingers.”

“You’re not harder than a shuttlecraft to fly, Enigma.” Anjet’s voice was gently teasing. “Though a lot further behind on maintenance than I’d let one of my shuttles get.”

“Speaking of flying... I wanted to say you did a good job on the Hydra flyby, Anjet.  The main sensor suite got an excellent look at both the black hole and the pulsar; I’ll be able to spend the next week worth of shifts in the lab analyzing those scans.”  Kyber smiled over at Anjet and Eden. _I’ll have to remember not to walk into where they’re bunking without announcing myself once we get moved to quarters with two-person bedrooms._

“We live to serve.” Anjet flashed Kyber a sparkling smile. “Nice to know we bridge jockeys can do something to help you mighty lab experts now and then.”

“Mm... right there.”  Eden gasped as Anjet found a particularly tight knot of muscle.

“That IS impressive. I think we ought to name that one.” Anjet murmured it softly without taking her eyes off Kyber.

“I might end up publishing a paper with some of the data on the interaction between the black hole’s gravity well and the ship’s subspace wake.  The scans were that good.”  Kyber finally sat up in bed, watching them with an amused look on her lips.

Anjet grinned over at her, eyes dancing. “Do I get a credit on my record for that?”

“I expect the Lieutenant will be making a note, once I tell her.  Which I’m going to wait to do, because when I tell her she’s going to smile again.”  Kyber shuddered.

That earned her a sympathetic chuckle. “I’ll say a prayer for your nerves, then.”

“Every time you see one of those smiles, think of it as a day off your time as an Ensign.  That should soften the... wow that’s good... blow a bit.”  Eden’s voice was dreamy, punctuated with soft sighs.

“I’m not sure I wouldn’t rather the extra time going left.  At least whatever’s off that way won’t have teeth quite as big as hers.”  Kyber managed a soft laugh.

“Eventually, you’ll only have to deal with that sort of thing in the lab. Or away missions.” Anjet smiled and pressed her fingers tightly to the back of Eden’s neck. “Not like this girl, who’s probably going to climb right down in there with the monsters and try to club them to death with her phaser.”

“You shoot them with phasers.  You club with your hands.”  Eden rolled her head slowly.  “Haven’t you ever read _Memories of Cestus_?”

“Can’t say I have.” Anjet chuckled. “Kirk, right? I’ve never really read much of him, except what they made us in school.”

“I can’t remember why I read it, to be honest...”  Eden laughed sleepily.

“Because you’re obsessed with everything that has even the slightest relationship to a ship called _Enterprise_?”  Kyber leaned back against the bulkhead, her thumb trailing over a PADD slowly.

“Could be.”

“Absolute certainty. Fortunately for you, though, your roomates are ready to indulge your vices.” Anjet flashed Kyber a slow grin. “We got you something to celebrate your first day off.”

“Oh?”  Eden roused herself a bit, flexing her arms in preparation to move.

“Four hours of holodeck time, and a fresh simulation of Sigma Iotia II. A historical one.”

“I’ll be portraying your Chief Science Officer, and Anjet’s your helmswoman.  You get _Enterprise_ for four hours.”  Kyber dropped her PADD from her bunk onto the dresser below.  “Unless you’re not interested...”

“Oh, I’m interested.  As long as Anjet doesn’t stop rubbing my shoulders... if she does, I’m going to be spending tomorrow in bed because I won’t be able to move my arms.  Thanks, both of you.”

“Bet your ass.” Anjet smiled down at Eden, eyes twinkling. “We Mids have to stick together.”

“Mm.”  Eden made a sound of agreement, letting her eyes fall closed again, and within a few minutes her breathing fell into the shallow regularity of sleep.  Kyber laughed softly.  “You finally got her knocked out.  I didn’t expect her to last a minute once you started rubbing her shoulders.”

“She’s more stubborn than my grandmother's _ketcha_.” Easing off Eden quietly, Anjet slipped across the room and vaulted up to sit next to Kyber on her bunk. “I’m thinking of reading up on the Vulcan Nerve Pinch.”

Kyber leaned back, letting a hand rest on the small of Anjet’s back.  “Are you sure even that would work on her?  I can see her finishing whatever work she’s doing before spontaneously falling unconscious two hours later.”

Anjet chuckled softly and leaned her head on Kyber’s shoulder. “I bet you’re right. Think I could get the Commander to approve a stun phaser for me for this duty?”

Kyber moved her head carefully to keep Anjet’s head from touching her neck.  “Probably not, but it can’t hurt to ask.  I’ll go with you if you’d like.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Anjet squeezed Kyber’s waist softly. “You’re a good friend, you know.”

“So are you.  So’s she, for all her single-mindedness.”  Kyber reached up, tracing a gloved hand over Anjet’s face lightly.

“You know...” Anjet turned her head slightly, kissing Kyber’s palm. “I have noticed the way you look at me. Well, us.”

“Even through this?”  Kyber’s free hand rose to her VISOR.  “You’re surprisingly observant.”

“Your face gets this look.” Taking the gloved hand in hers, Anjet slowly turned it to trace her lips across the knuckles. “Like you want something but don’t think you’ll get it.”

Kyber’s lips parted in a soft sigh.  “I can’t touch you.  Either of you.”

“There are a lot of ways we can touch, right?” Anjet gave her a soft smile. “Not all of them involve taking your clothes off.”

“Are you sure?”  Kyber tilted her head downward, brushing her lips against Anjet’s shoulder.

“I am.” Anjet flashed the other girl a gentle smile, drawing the gloved hand down to her hip and leaning into Kyber carefully. “I’ve wanted to do this for the last two or three days. I know you think I want Eden, and I wouldn’t say no if she offered, but....” she paused, feeling around the bed until she found something to cover her hand with, then brushed it across Kyber’s face. “It’s you.”

The sensation of Anjet’s hand through the silk of the bedsheet drew a quiet gasp from Kyber, who lifted a hand to run it slowly over Anjet’s neck.  “Neyres.”

“Yes.” Anjet smiled softly, arching her head back to invite more of her friend’s touch as she caressed the Eshani’s cheek and jaw, and finally lips. “Is there something else I should call you, or just Kyber?”

Kyber trailed her lips over silk-clad fingers, whispering, “Kyber is my name.  I like how it sounds when you say it.”

“Kyber.” Anjet kissed the words softly with her lips, sliding a fingertip into the other girl’s mouth in exploration. “If we used the sheet, do you think we could try my hand inside your uniform?”

Kyber sucked the fingertip lightly for a moment before responding.  “We could try...”  She brushed her hand over Anjet’s chest gently.

“Here.” Anjet reached up to open her own uniform gently, stripping down to her waist and then smiling as she guided Kyber’s gloved fingertips to her breasts.” Is that better?”

Kyber smiled, moaning quietly as she traced Anjet’s breasts with her fingertips.  “Much.  You’re beautiful... strong.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a body this toned.”

“I work at it. You get called to the helm in a crisis, you have to be able to stand your post as long as it takes.” Anjet moaned softly, gently arching her back to lift herself into Kyber’s touch as she worked the other girl’s fasteners, careful to keep her hand covered by the sheet as she slipped it inside to stroke over Kyber’s belly. “Besides, my mother says that if I’m not flying I can’t sit still for five minutes straight.”

Kyber let out a soft moan, her back arching to press into Anjet’s touch.  She let her fingers brush the Bajoran’s nipples firmly, whispering, “You’re warm.  I like it.”

Anjet moaned softly, arching and tracing her tongue across her lips as she slid her hand slowly lower, exploring, her eyes dancing with laughing heat. “So, does this work about the same way as mine does, or should I get an operator’s manual?”

Kyber laughed softly between moans of pleasure, her body rising to meet Anjet’s touches as she began to pull the Bajoran’s uniform lower.  “I understand that the basics are the same.  They don’t get into the more intricate details in the Academy’s first year differential humanoid anatomy classes.”

“Well, then, I’ll just have to learn on the job.” Anjet lifted her head, stopped herself from kissing Kyber’s lips by inches, then turned her head and traced her mouth across the covered shoulder of the Eshani’s uniform as her hand slipped between parted thighs to stroke slowly.

Kyber caught a spare corner of the sheet, raising it to her own lips before leaning forward, pressing a long kiss to Anjet’s mouth through the thin fabric, lingering there with a sigh of pleasure.

Anjet moaned softly in agreement, then flashed a husky smile at her friend and slid fully out of her uniform. She lay back on the bed, breathlessly naked and smiling, then pulled the sheet over her and tucked it under her chin so Kyber could pull it up to kiss her again. “Come here and make love to me.”

Kyber answered with a quiet sound of desire, rolling atop Anjet and running her hands over her body through the silk.  She flicked her tongue over her lips lightly as her hand slipped between Anjet’s legs.  “Yes.”

Anjet moaned gently in delight, arching her back as her thighs squeezed tight around Kyber’s hand. “Prophets, yes, that’s what I need.”

Kyber’s hand arched, her fingers exploring Anjet slowly, locking her hidden gaze on Anjet’s face as she moaned quietly in delight.

Anjet right hand slid up between Kyber’s thighs, cupping her, carefully to keep the sheet between them as she caressed her with light fingers. “You’re beautiful, Kyber. So beautiful.”

Kyber rolled her hips, pressing to Anjet’s hand with a long sound of pleasure.  “Enigma was right... talented fingers...”  Finally, she slipped a finger into Anjet, sheathed in the sheet.

Anjet moaned deeply, fingers matching Kyber’s penetration, and she looked up into her lover’s eyes with a blaze of heat. “Kiss me again.”

Kyber lifted the sheet and leaned down, pressing her body against Anjet’s as she kissed her, her finger slipping deeper as she moaned in delight.

Anjet’s tongue thrust into Kyber’s mouth, dancing over the other girl’s through the wet, thin silk as they moved together, pressing into each other and against each other so that only the delicate barrier of fabric separated them.

“Neyres...”  Kyber lifted her head, breaking the kiss for a moment to gaze into Anjet’s eyes before kissing her again, her body shaking as pleasure rushed through her.

“Kyber. Please, yes.” Anjet closed her eyes as the sheet covered her face again, kissing the other girl desperately as her own body arched on the edge of release.

Kyber’s soft, slender frame shook and she buried a scream of pleasure against Anjet’s lips as she climaxed, her fingers curling deep in the Bajoran. Anjet’s own scream buried itself in the sheet and Kyber’s mouth as she shuddered in delight, her whole body blazing with raw pleasure as she gave herself to her Eshani.

When they were both spent, Kyber lowered her head against Anjet’s chest, panting softly with a delighted expression on her face.  “Now, there is something else you can call me.”  Her lips trailed slowly over the fabric covering Anjet’s collar.

Anjet smiled at her softly. “Which is?”

“ _Marithor_.  It... does not translate well into Standard.  I suppose the closest would be ‘lover.’  Something intimate, to call one with whom you are intimate.”

“ _Marithor_.” Anjet kissed the word carefully, taking her time with it. “Would you... would you like to be intimate more often, _marithor_?”

“I would...”  Kyber raised the sheet to trace her lips over Anjet's softly.  “If you would.”

“Very often.” Anjet slipped out from under the sheet enough to smile up at her lover tenderly. “Though I think we should look into better ways of doing this.”

“I will do some research... I do have rather more computer access than you do, even off-duty.”  Kyber leaned down to kiss Anjet’s shoulder.  “I am sure I can find something.  Though this was... I have no complaints at all about this.”

“Nor I. But then, I never thought good enough was an excuse for not doing better.” Anjet flashed her another long, hungry smile. “I’m going to stick with rooming with Eden when we move, if you don’t mind? Otherwise, I don’t think I’m going to be able to avoid doing something foolish when I’m half-awake.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”  Kyber traced a gloved finger over Anjet’s face.  “Stay here, though, until you are ready to sleep.”

“I plan to.” Anjet curved a smile at her, then smiled softly. “Would you go over to the replicator and make me a pair of those?”

“Gladly.”  Kyber slipped from the bed, walking toward the replicator, then turned.  “At this distance... it should be safe.  Would you like to see my eyes?”

“Very much. Please?” Anjet curved a smile at her, eyes shining.

“You’ll still experience... some.”  Kyber lifted her hand to her face, raising her VISOR.  A glimpse of vividly bluish-purple eyes with large irises was accompanied by the sensation of warmth and joy - combined with worry about even this much contact - that tried to push Anjet’s own emotions aside to find room in her mind.

Anjet took a slow breath, pushing back gently but firmly with her own bright joy and laughing content.  “Hello, _marithor_. Can you feel me, too?”

“I can.”  Her chest rose and fell as her breathing matched the pace of Anjet’s own, and she released a quiet sound.  “Your passion is... searing.”

Anjet’s voice caught softly as she rolled onto her side, fingers finding their way between her legs as she lightly touched herself, shivering at her own sensitivity and the fresh well of desire. “You make me burn, _mairthor_.”

Kyber gave a soft sound of passion before lowering her VISOR back into place.  “You make me soar.  Computer, replicate one pair of Eshani standard-issue gloves.”  She retrieved the gloves from the replicator and made her way back to the bed.

Brushing her hands clean on the sheet, Anjet reached down and slipped her hand into each glove as Kyber offered them to her, then cupped her lover’s face in both hands and smiled at her shiningly. “There. Better.”

Kyber smiled at the touch, letting her lips part in a pleased sigh.  “Much.”

Anjet smiled back at her, eyes shining, and wrapped the sheet around herself to make herself safe for her lover’s arms. “Come here.”

Kyber slipped in close, resting her head on Anjet’s breast.  “Gladly.”


	7. Chapter 7

**  
**

**U.S.S. S _overeign_ , the Pit**

 **  
Stardate: 2387.318**

 _This is it._ Eden stood at the heart of the Strategic Operations Center, her PADD plugged into the console in front of the main holointerface, while the rest of the team sat in a crescent around her.  Eyes were on her from every angle, and she inhaled deeply to clear her mind and soothe her nerves.  “Five days ago, we found a possible explanation for the disappearances of supply convoys in the Valoris Nebula.  Further research has indicated that this explanation was the most likely cause - attacks by Breen ships, hidden by an unfortunate coincidence of their choice of ore to armor their hull and the composition of Valoris.  Major Xian asked me to come up with a solution to this - a way to find and neutralize the Breen ships.  With help from the Engineering department and an officer in Science who understands starship sensors far better than I ever could, I have settled on three possible approaches.”

Eden cleared her throat, calling up a hologram of the nebula and the surrounding systems.  “The first approach is a sensor grid.  By modifying the patrol routes of Lagashi, Bajoran, and Starfleet patrols in the nebula and assigning two additional _Nova_ -class science vessels from Starbase 72, we can prevent the Breen from moving further forces into the nebula without our knowledge and, within a week, pinpoint the ships already there.  This is the most certain and costliest approach - it will involve a great deal of time and force that could be used elsewhere on the border, but its chance of success is well over ninety-eight percent.”  She traced out the patrol routes by hand, an intricate web of gold shining in the nebula.  “It leaves nowhere to hide.  The other disadvantage of this approach is the time it will take - the Breen will know what we are doing, and likely withdraw the bulk of the ships they have hidden before the grid is complete, resulting in Starfleet assigning a large force while the Breen have already moved on.  However, the Nebula would be safe for our supply convoys.”

With a gesture, Eden dismissed the web of gold.  “The second is an alteration to standard operating procedure on starships in the nebula.  All convoys are assigned one Lagashi _Ashigara_ -class frigate, and are never outside a ten-minute radius of the nearest Starfleet patrol.  In previous encounters, these ships have been immensely effective at protecting what they accompany and at holding off superior forces; this approach is less expensive than the first and will keep the bulk of convoys safe, but it is still more risky.  The computer gives it as having a better cost-benefit ratio, but when one adds the people on the frigates and on the convoys that will still be lost...”  Eden drew a line, showing the supply run from Lagash to the forward Starfleet depot within Breen space.  “This plan is estimated to reduce the raids by 80%, and to prevent total loss of supplies in 20% of the groups still raided.”  Eden gestured again, dismissing the entire hologram.  “The third approach is mainly technological.  The Breen frigates use a warp system that has some components derived from those aboard the Jem’hadar attack ships.  This system leaves a warp trail that can be found with a thorough scan of the gamma band for weeks afterward.  All convoys scan for these trails, and turn back when they locate one less than two days old - the amount of time a Breen frigate can sit without warp power before their supplies run low and they need to use their replicators.  Meanwhile, Starfleet begins an active seek-and-destroy exercise, following the Breen warp trails to the ships that left them and destroying those ships.  This plan has significant disadvantages - it leaves the forward depot expecting far fewer supply deliveries for nearly three weeks, due to the redirection of supply convoys.  There are, however, at least twenty Breen ships in that nebula... and we get nearly all of them, at little cost in terms of lives on our side.”  She opened her hands and the hologram went blank.  “Does anyone have any questions or comments?”   _Or better ideas?  No.  These are the options.  I explored dozens of possibilities; these are the only ones with appreciable chances of success._

“Just one.” Commander Reese’s voice spoke up from the back of the room, surprising her. “If you don’t mind, Major?”

Xian turned her head slightly, then gestured toward the door by way of greeting. “Of course, Commander. Feel free.”

“What if we put two wolf-packs of Lagashi destroyers and two of the Intrepids from sector 32 to work on your third plan - use the Intrepids to bird-dog for the destroyers, whose low sensor signature should be easy to bury in the nebula? That ought to get the job done rather more quickly than a few weeks.” Reese leaned against the wall and studied Eden’s face without glancing at the hologram behind her, a small smile on her lips.

 _When did she come in?  I didn’t see her come in._ “I considered that, Commander.  The problem is the amount of space to cover - that few ships could get the job done, but a lot of the Breen would slip through our fingers.  If we want Valoris to be safe, we have to either render this tactic impossible or make this use of it so costly that the Breen won’t try it again.”   _Did I miss something when I did that math?  Is she right?  I’m committed now._

“Xian?” Alexandria didn’t turn her head. “What do you think? _Audacity_?”

“It’s a possibility, Commander, though not Miss Enigma’s fault. I hadn’t read her in on that particular maneuver, so she wouldn’t know about it. It is above her security clearance.”

“Mmm.” Alexandria nodded absently, shifting her eyes to the hologram. “Computer, display Task Group _Audacity_ 's present location and map its course in three days time.”

A flicker of light pulsed on the hologram as more than two dozen new symbols flashed onto its display - two Lagashi carriers and stripped-down screening elements escorting them, as well as three Galaxy-class explorers and a quartet of Federation heavy cruisers. “In two weeks, those ships are going to hit the Breen forward base at Cyrel Five. Between then and now, however, they’re heading right across the axis of retreat for any Breen frigate leaving the Valoris. While they can’t be committed a full sweep, I think you can see the possibilities. Better yet, every one of those ships is believed by Breen intelligence to be under refit or awaiting completion. They simply don’t exist yet.”

 _That changes everything.  Really, everything... they hit that base, even the people in the Admiralty and the Council who’ve been denying that this is a war won’t be able to any more.  The whole balance between the Thots will shift, the Lagashi will have openings to hit every border raid for months, and the Cardassians will probably shift their stance and offer to come into the war without anything in return that the Federation won’t be willing to give.  Who put that together?_ Eden looked across the room before pausing, her gaze moving between Reese and Xian.   _Couldn’t be._ “If the Breen don’t know that Task Group exists, I think it becomes more important to make sure their frigates don’t leave Valoris.  It could cost the _Audacity_ and her group their surprise.”

“Indeed. But you see the problem with waiting - if one of those frigates rotates out at the wrong moment....” Alexandria spread her hands slightly. “This one is going to have to be quick and dirty, Miss Enigma. How many ships for a full sweep? Not a patrol grid - to hunt every last frigate down and kill it before enough of them can run that _Audacity_ ’sescorts won’t catch them all. Presuming we use your warp signature technique.”

Eden ran the numbers in her head.  “Twelve ships, Commander.  Which, with _Sovereign_ ’sarrival in Valoris, we will have in place.  Twelve ships, for four days.”

“Major, run it through Roosevelt and get us those ships. _Fortune’s Promise_ -class, for preference - if we can get eight of them to back us up, and three Nebulas or Intrepids, we’ll have this wrapped up as neat as a bow.” Alexandria turned her head and smiled at Eden firmly. “Excellent work, Cadet. Don’t feel bad about the miss - all of us have to deal with the chance we don’t see something over our pay grade. Who do you need to get us ready for leading this group?”

 _Planning a full combat operation of a dozen ships.  Does she really trust me to do that?_ “Two people from Engineering, one from Science, someone who knows those Lagashi ships a lot better than I do, and to switch two of my bridge shifts each week down here.  And an hour of your time and Major Xian’s every two days... if I start barking up the wrong tree, I need to know sooner than later.”

“Done. I want a draft before we finish our refit at Roosevelt Station.” Alexandria glanced over the holo one more time, then smiled to the room. “Major, your meeting.” Without looking back over her shoulder at Eden, she took the stairs up to the door two at a time and then vanished into the corridor.

Xian chuckled softly as she set down the PADD on which she’d been working. “All right, ladies and gentlemen, that does it for the Valoris operation. Lieutenant Thompson, why don’t you bring us up to date on the implications of our latest intelligence?  With what’s about to drop in the next week, I think we’d all best have our eyes on the big picture.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Thompson, an intense man of thirty with a strong Centauri accent, stood and waited for Eden to sit down before stepping up to the holoprojector. “I’d like to begin with the latest news about internal developments on Cardassia...”

 _Twelve ships.  A secret attack that could turn this whole war around.  I should have switched all my bridge shifts._ Eden slipped into her seat. forcing herself to focus on Thompson’s briefing.


End file.
